Control valve mechanism for musical wind instruments



Feb. 24, 1942. MQNTENARE 2,274,375

CONTROL VALVE MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed June 21, 19412 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 o no 00- 5 .Rnlhon mohleriare 3nventor (Ittomegs Feb.24, 1942. A. MONTENARE CONTRQL VALVE. MECHANISI'M FOR MUSICAL WINDINSTRUMENTS I I 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed June 21, 1941 montenare BnnentorPatented Feb. 24, 1942 CON TROL VALVE MECHANISM'FOR. MUSICAL WINDINSTRUMENTS Anthony Montenare, Reading, .Pa.

Application June .21, 1941, Serial No. 399,090

30laims.

My invention relates generally to musical instruments employing wind orair currents as the motive force for producing the musical sounds, andmore particularly to new and improved valve mechanism for selectivelycontrolling manipulated playing of desired notes either singly or inmultiple harmony.

The practice heretofore, where direct finger manipulated control has notbeen possible, has been to employ valves of a lever type, intermediatelypivoted, so that manipulation of one end thereof will act to lift theopposite end from its seated position covering an air passageway openingcontrolling :a determined sound. These lever valves have beennecessarily seated by action of .a spring, which, if of sufficientstrength, causes a tapping sound in closing, and if the spring tensionis lessened, outward vflow of air will cause unintentional unseating ofthe valve.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide new andimproved valve mechanism, free of the above stated inherent defects; andthe nature of my improvements and the manner of their operation willbe'more fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and the novel features defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective end view of an accordion having the valve coverremoved and showing at the left side heretofore known valveconstruction, at the right side my new and improved valve construction.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding side elevation thereof, one end thereof beingshown in iongitudinal cross section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view correspondingwith the section shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modificationof my valve.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the valve as shown in Fig. 4.

My improved valve mechanism may be employed in many types of instrumentswhere lever valves have heretofore been used, and in the drawings I haveindicated its application to an accordion, as particularly benefittedthereby, and fully exemplifying the nature and use of my valve.

The accordion shown in the drawings is merely indicative of generallyknown construction of such instruments, and in Fig. 1, at the left sidethereof, '1 have indicated a lever valve as heretofore commonly used,and at the right side my new and improved valve mechanism, which, asseen, may readilybe substituted for the old lever valves.

In the drawings, one end of the bellows chamber is indicated at' 5, onthe end wall 6 of which are mounted, 'as heretofore, a plurality of cellblocks 1, which, as known, have separate air chambers 8, 8, for musicalreeds 9, 9, mounted onopposite faces of said cell blocks and each incovering relation to a particular air cell of the latter. 'I'he'endwallB of the bellows chamber is formed with a series of aperturesylfl, l0,each one forming an air flow passageway to its respective air chamber 8,and through which air reversely surges with varying force in accordancewith the force with which the bellows are expanded or contracted.

Selective vibratings of particular reeds, or harmonious multiplesthereof, is effected, :as heretofore and well understood, by :airpassing through said reeds either into or from their respective cellblock chambers, and such selection is determined by opening and closingof determined apertures I0, heretofore acomplished by manipulation of alever valve '11 shown to the left in .Fig. .1, which is moved, as by afinger key I 2, through a connecting stem l3. These valves II arenecessarily tensioned to normally seat in closing position over theirrespective apertures, as by directly actingsprings, not shown, orpreferably by spring tension'on the finger key 12 as seen in Fig. 2.

Such control'valves, asheretofore practically universaily used, haveinherent defects and deficiencies, in that their 'tensionedclosingmovements :cause more or less tapping sounds most undesirable andmagnified through the resounding chambers into harmonious disturbance ofthe musical effects. Such valves, being seated by spring pressure, may,under stress of forced closing of the bellows, be unintentionallyliftedfrom their seats by air pressure, producing a discord. And further, dueto wear or imperfect fitting, such valves may be tilted or laterallyshifted so as to fail to fully close their apertures, causing leaks thatproduce most inharmonious squeaky sounds.

It is the primary purpose of my present invention to produce a new andimproved valve, free of such stated defects, readily substituted forsuch heretofore known lever valves, producing increased tonal sounds,and which cannot musical sound. Each hood [5, as shown, has an open endformed with parallel side grooves or guide ways l6, H5, in which aclosure plate H is mounted to slide, so as to tightly close said hood,or open such end for the admission .or.

escape of air through its respective aperturefor apertures, ll]. Eachplate 11, as shown, extends beyond its slide way, when closed, and suchextension is shown as engaged by a connecting stem l3 to a finger key[2. As'before, closing action for the plate ll, may be insured by theusual spring tensioning the finger key in lifted operative position; or,it may be desirable in certain cases, to provide an additional orsubstitute spring, directly acting on plate [1, to normally seat thelatter in closed position, as indicated at I8. Finger manipulation ofthe keys 1!, or other like finger manipulated push buttons as common inaccordions, will selectively open their respective slide plates IT toair operation of the reed or reeds having apertures l covered by a hoodI5 carrying such slide plate.

The slide plates I! may be a simple flat sheet, requiring full liftingin its slide way to desirably open the end of the hood [5; but whereless movement is found essential or desirable, the end of the hood 15may be formed of a series of apertures l5, and the plate I! with acorresponding series of apertures 11, so that little movement of saidplate would cause said apertures 15 and I1 to register to open said end,or to overlap to close said end.

The boxes or hoods l5 not only provide a mounting for the slide platesH, but they form additional air chambers desirably increasing the tonalvalue and volume of their respective musical reeds. found most efiectiveand in accordance with the number of apertures l0 they are intended tocover, and may be made of any suitable material, as aluminum or aplastic, though not limited thereto.

While the drawings show the hoods [5 with end openings, it may be founddesirable for certain needs, or in other instruments, to position saidslide openings in the sides of the hoods, or on the top surface thereof;also the plates may be inclined so as to slide at a more or less angularrelation, as indicated at 20 in the modified hood I 5 indicated in Fig.6.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my primaryobject will be accom- They will of course vary in size as plished, asthe plates will slide silently in their guide ways, will act fully andeffectively at all times, and cannot be unseated by air pressure. Myimproved valve mechanism not only accomplishes my objectives, but may besimply formed of sturdy long lived construction, readily substituted forheretofore known valves, and will insure improved results in tonalsounds and volume. And while I have disclosed my valve as applied to anaccordion, it is not limited to use in such instruments, but may beeffectively employed in other instruments requiring like valve controlof wind apertures.

" What I claim:

1. In a musical wind instrument having a sound producing means and awall having an aperture for directing the flow of operating windthereto, a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of wind through saidwall aperture comprising a hood having walls forming a chamber mountedin covering relation over said wall aperture, a valve opening in onewall of said hood having a slide valve mounted thereon, and manuallyoperable means adapted to slidably move said valve to open and closesaid valve opening.

2. In a musical wind instrument having collapsible walls forming a windchamber, a cell block mounted on an interior wall of said chamber, arecess in said block forming an air cell, a musical reed mounted on saidblock over said air cell, a chamber wall aperture opening into said reedcovered cell to direct air from and to said bellows chamber through saidmusical reed, and a valve mechanism for controlling air flow throughsaid chamber wall aperture comprising a hood having walls forming achamber mounted in covering relation over said wall aperture, a valveopening in one wall of said hood having a slide valve mounted thereon,and manually operable means adapted to slidably move said valve to openand close said valve opening.

3. In an accordion having a cell block mounted interiorly on an end wallof its bellows and provided with a plurality of recesses each forming anindependent air cell for a musical reed, and a plurality of apertures insaid bellows wall each communicating with an air cell to direct air flowto said bellows through its respective musical reed, a valve mechanismfor controlling air flow through selected bellows-wall aperturescomprising a plurality of hoods each having walls forming a chamber andmounted in covering relation to one or more of said wall apertures, avalve opening in one wall of each hood having a slide valve mountedthereon, and manually operable means adapted to slidably move saidvalves to open and close their respective valve openings.

ANTHONY MONTENARE.

